Cruel and Unusual

The movie had a good concept, about a serial killer on the move. It avoids excessive bloodshed and sensational mastermind manuevers and honks which plagues most serial killer flicks. This killer adopts the identity of the last victim, who is a prof on sabbatical going to man a lonely lighthouse and write a book. So our killer, Berenger ends up in a lonely fishing village with a troubled youth on parole and his independent fisher-woman sister. There is some interesting tension and not so innocent honks while he is there. He controls and influences the impressionable and weak youth while putting the make on his sister. But it fizzled out, like they established a good mood and couldn't figure out a way to end it. Also, the feedback acid guitar soundtrack, based on the kids guitar playing, was pointless and annoying. It had potential, but let me down.

"You should see this place I'm going to. It's one in a million," Professor Adam Durrell (Eli Gabay) tells his passenger (Tom Berenger). The prof doesn't know it yet but he is never going to see his favorite getaway. You see, the hitch-hiker he picked up is a serial killer who assumes the identities of his victims. Posing as the now deceased Durrell the charming psycho pulls into a little coastal community in search of fresh prey. He targets lonely vulnerable Kate (Rachel Hayward) and her troubled kid brother Mike (Tygh Runyon) for a violent death. However, this time he may have met his match. Although the cast delivers competent performances the picturesque Cowichan Valley locations (doubling for Oregon) are the real stars in an otherwise routine entry in the tired 'erotic thriller' genre.

Tom Berenger playing a serial killer! That's something new and since I'm a huge fan of this underrated actor I was very eager to get my hands on this flick. Did it disappoint? Not really, but it's far from being anything special. Berenger plays a homicidal drifter who assumes the identity of his latest victim, a professor, and heads to a small community where he gets involved with a local woman and her brother. As his relationship with the woman progresses her brother becomes more and more suspicious of him and it's only a matter of time before things get nasty. A semi well written character study of a psychopath which sadly doesn't delve too deeply into his motivations, and thus, leaving the viewer wanting more. Berenger, as always, does well with his role but the fact is it's an underdeveloped one and therefore doesn't have the intended impact. The end conclusion is mostly satisfying but overall the film is long-winded, has stereotypical supporting characters, particularly the brother, and ultimately fails mostly in the suspense department along with being very predictable. In the end Berenger elevates the film with his performance and one is left with the impression that this film could have been so much better. Sadly it's just average.

i love Tom Berringer and i love serial killer stories but this movie was absolutely terrible. i put down like 3 other DVD's when i rented this, just for the sake of the plot description and Berringer's name. i regret it. it was a waste of time. stay away.

This film is one of those direct to video movie. They get a middle weight name like Tom, and try to sell it using his name. Well this isn't that bad like most direct of video movie, actual it's ok. Tom is a good actor, and the script is ok. It's not a high budget, and they got a scene that looks like one of those West Coast Canadian Rock video's. (ie Chalk Circle) Well, rent it, it won't kill you. 6/10